Hope Fades
by distorted-me
Summary: "He used to be a good boy. I only hope you remember that." He had always been the perfect pawn. A fierce soldier. An exemplary Gryffindor. An honorable friend. He WAS good. Until evil showed him a better way to live. Here is the tale of why Harry bears his Mark. Dark!Harry. Good!Draco. Good!Tom. Order Bashing. Severitus. All kinds of yummy pairings! And just for kicks, HP/LV
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: All He Used To Be**

 _"He used to be a good boy. I only hope you remember that."_

When all hope faded, and the light was extinguished like the flame of a candle, the world was not, as so many had feared, plunged into a hellish darkness. New laws were created, and reform was pushed for at lightening speed, but in the months following the fall of Dumbledore and his great 'Order' the Wizarding World began to know peace as they never had before.

* * *

The last speech Albus Dumbledore gave before his untimely death started with " _something wicked this way comes._ " It was a speech calling all witches and wizards to arms, and demanding that sides be chosen, assuring the general population that the Light was winning, and that their dear ' _savior_ ' was being completely prepared to head the battle against the ' _Great Darkness_ ' he seemed to think they all faced. His speech ended in a spray of blood and a cloaked figure speaking into his arm in some kind of code talking about some man named Charlie Foxtrot.

The Wizarding World was in absolute chaos for three days before Tom Riddle declared that he had assumed control of the Ministry and that he would be acting as the new Minister of Magic until a suitable leader could be elected. He assured his loyal subjects that he had no intention for any further blood shed and that with everyones co-operation everything could go back to better than before. Scores of people demanded to be told what his plans for muggleborns and half bloods were and only after he had assured the whole of wizarding Britain that he had no fell plans for anyone with magic flowing through their veins did anyone stop to think about where their Savior had gone. Minister Riddle said that most unfortunately Harry Potter was dead, and that it burdened his heart to know that it has taken an entire week for anyone to realize he was missing.

" _The sky has lost a star, my friends,_ " he had said. " _It is a terrible burden to stand before you and announce that such a young and beautiful life has been cut short, for such unappreciative people."_

The masses had scoffed at this at first, but upon reflection they began to realize that they had never once thanked, or been grateful for the sacrifices that young Harry had made.

" _I hope you will come to realize, that in defense of you, a people who neither loved, or believed in young Mr. Potter, he suffered so exquistely, for so long. And I am sure had he completed the task sat before him, and defeated me as was seemingly prophesized, that he would have been persecuted and scorned for the unbelievable power it would have taken to do so. I can only hope that you feel shame for the death that you as a nation have caused, because regardless of the foe, **no** child should be sacrificed for any imagined ' **greater good**_ '.

And so the wizarding world mourned the loss of its savior; but more than that, the wizarding world mourned the loss of an innocent child.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Come To The Dark Side**

 **A/N:** I know that the first chapter to this was horribly short, and it had a TERRIBLE ending but my muse has selfishly abandoned me and so I am taking applications for a new one. Consider these first few chapters my interview. I should probably also go ahead and mention that this story will most likely be my most extreme AU/OOC possibly OC (but probably not) story to date. Dumbledore will ALWAYS be evil, the Order will ALWAYS be useless, and I think Dumbledore created Lord Voldemort, so I am going to uncreate him. Suggestions, reviews, flames, off the wall ideas? It's all welcome here!

 **A/N II:** Pairings here are not set in stone, but I have the yummy ideas of Lucius/Tom/Severus, Blaise/Hermione, Ron/Pansy, and Drarry (so cliche I know but, I hate Ginny and there is no one else yummy to pair him with so suggestions?). As always for these sorts of stories, Severus is Harry's REAL dad, not just his adopted one. Another one of Dumbledores lies (surprise, surprise) that Harry uncovers (and people wonder why Harry went to the Dark Side...besides the fact that they have cookies)...

 **A/N III:** I don't own anything Harry Potter related, or any of the amazing quotes you will find sprinkled throughout my story. It's very disheartening.

* * *

 _ **"Pain demands to be felt."** -An Imperial Affliction, Peter Van Houten_

Harry had spent the first three days of his summer vacation before sixth year at the Dursleys like the good little boy he was supposed to be. On the fourth day however, he quietly unlocked his cupboard, packed up all his belongings, shrunk his truck, stepped out his relatives front door, and disappeared into the night. Due to the charms his new friends had placed upon the house, it would be three more days before anyone realized anything was amiss.

~oooOooo~

"Harry Potter. I must say this is a surprise. I would have thought Dumbledore had you under lock and key," smirked the Dark Lord.

"Do you doubt your followers then Tom?" Harry quipped.

"Not at all," Tom smiled.

"Why am I here Tom? We aren't exactly friends."

"It has come to my attention, Mr. Potter, that the great Albus Dumbledore has placed you at an abhorent disadvantage. It is therefore my duty to ensure that you are adequately prepared to fight when the time comes."

Harry quirked an eyebrow. "So am I to understand that you intend to teach me how to fight just so I can fight you?"

"No, Mr. Potter. I do not simply endeavour to teach you fighting. It is my offer to extend knowledge in several areas so that you are not only prepared for a duel should the need arise; but so you will step into battle knowing exactly what it is that you are fighting for."

"I'm fighting for freedom aren't I? I mean, the prophecy says neither can live while the other survives."

"Yes. It does. But how much faith do you have in that prophecy? I mean, Sybill does not remember making it, and Albus is the only one that heard it directly. How do we know that he did not plant that prophecy in her mind, and then force it from her?"

"I don't understand," said Harry frowning.

Tom smiled sadly.

"I wouldn't expect you to Harry. That is where I offer my assistance. Dumbledore has lied to you. He has raped your mind, abused your body, and left you to a horrible fate, with no explanation or comfort. The life you know is a lie, Harry Potter. I only wish to show you the truth."

"How do I know this isn't a trap?"

"You don't I'm afraid. But you came here of your own free will, so there is obviously something here that you desire. Or do you make it a habit of walking into your enemys lair unprepared?"

There was a soft snort from a figure on Voldemorts left, and a withering look to said subject before his attention returned to Harry.

"Tell me what you know," said Harry.

"I thought you would make that choice. So tell me. What can you offer me in return?"

"I can offer you the Order, if the information is right. I'm done being Dumbledores puppet. But I won't be yours either."

"Very well," Voldemort smiled, and with that the bargain that would change the fate of the wizarding world was struck.

* * *

Harry was in pain. While not a physical pain, Harry's was a deep emotional pain that came from lies and betrayal; one that he promised to return upon those he had trusted ten-fold. He started at the knock on his door and quickly set the room back to right.

"May I come in?" came a silky voice he knew all too well.

"No. Go away." Harry pouted.

"Harry-"

"I said go away!" Harry screamed.

"I didn't know either," said the voice and then the person walked away.

* * *

Almost a week later Harry emerged from his rooms at Riddle Manor. He had thought long and hard about all that he had been shown...all he had been told, and he realized with yet another painful clench of his heart, that he was not the only person to be so horribly affected. With his head hung in shame Harry slowly made his way to the Throne Room in the Manor.

"Come in," said a voice that Harry did not recognize.

"Harry!" It was the surprised voice of Lucius Malfoy, and Harry groaned inside.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, head still hung.

"Come again?" said the voice he didn't recognize.

Harry looked up to repeat himself and gasped in shock.

"Who-Who are you?" he asked.

"Come now Harry, surely you recognize your greatest enemy!" said Tom.

"I-But...how?"

"Lord Voldemort is a ruse. A glamour. This is my true form. Quiet shocking I know."

"But...you're so young! I mean, you don't look a day over 35!"

"Yes. A complication from the ressurection spell I'm afraid, but one I do not regret."

"Wow."

"I believe you were in the middle of apologizing?"

"I...sorry," Harry finished lamely. "I didn't know. And it was all so much, and...how could he DO that to me?"

"Because he is an evil man who will use any means necessary to obtain what he wants. Ultimate power. If people were to discover the truth, I daresay Dumbledore would be dead within a week."

Harry's face got cold and hard.

"Or he could be dead tomorrow and we could all move on."

"Harry!" gasped Severus.

"What? Look what he's done...Professor. Look what he took from me! From you! He lied to me! He killed my mother, and he killed Sirius, and he took my father away from me! He doesn't care if I die, why shouldn't I return the sentiment?"

"Because, Harry, you are better than that," said Severus.

"No I'm not. I don't want to be good any more. You told me you would show me the truth, and you have. Now it's time to return the favor. Let me join you. No one will suspect that Perfect Potter is anything less than Light. Let me be your spy. They'll tell me things they wouldn't dream of telling Professor Snape. I want to be a part of your noble cause. And I'm sure I have several friends who would quietly follow."

"Potter!" gasped Lucius, "what are you saying?"

"I want to be a Death Eater. I want to be marked. Pain demands to be felt. I wish to feel it and to serve it up in return."

And with that Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, became Lord Voldemorts right hand man, and the most trusted spy for the cause, and for a while, no one on the side of the Light was any wiser.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Death**

 _"It is death who should be afraid of us."_

* * *

"Do you ever think there are things the teachers aren't telling us? Things they think we're too young to know, but that might be useful to us when the end does come?" asked Harry nonchalantly one sunny afternoon sitting in the library of Grimmauld Place.

"I dunno mate. I think Dumbledore would tell us the really important stuff," said Ron.

"What are you thinking Harry?" asked Hermione.

"I think Dumbledore is using me," Harry said.

"He lies to me."

"Harry!" Hermione admonished.

"How could you say such a thing?"

"Because it's true," Harry said.

"Dumbledore has lied to all of us…kept things from us."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"I mean he's just as bad as Voldemort. Worse. He manipulates people. He has manipulated me…"

"How?" Hermione asked, sitting down her book.

"He gave me to the Dursleys didn't he?" Harry asked dryly, his face filled with disdain.

"To keep you safe!" Hermione insisted.

"Says who?" questioned Harry.

"Him?"

Ron and Hermione looked at eachother in confusion.

"Even Professor McGonagall questioned it. Being placed with the Dursleys. Surely she wouldn't have if she had known for a fact it would be beneficial."

"What are you saying?" Ron asked.

"The spells on their house don't work," Harry said plainly.

"If they did Dumbledore would have noticed I went missing the moment I did. It should never have taken him a week to find me. And it shouldn't have taken me coming out of hiding for him to do it."

"Mate..." Ron began.

"Dumbledore is using me," Harry insisted.

"He is using ALL of us. Lying to us. I would have been safe anywhere. Loved even. But he placed me with the Dursleys so he could swoop in and play hero when the right time came. And it worked. I worshiped him for being the hero to save me. I followed him blindly because I felt that I owed that much to him! And what has he done for me? Sent me back to hell for the summer breaks? Let me risk my life daily since I found out what I am? Kept secrets from me because I'm too young? Hid me from people who care about me?"

Harry was mad, and because of it the room was starting to shake.

"Harry!" Hermione said firmly.

"Sorry," Harry said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Where did you go for that week?" Ron asked.

"Away," Harry said softly.

"To someone who would tell me the truth. All of it."

"Is that what's caused all this?" Hermione asked.

"Did you ever think maybe they didn't like Dumbledore?"

Harry laughed.

"I know they don't like him," Harry said.

"But this man has proof and Dumbledore has none, so what do I believe?"

"Magic can be manipulated to lie, Harry," Hermione said.

"I cast the magic myself," Harry replied.

"With my own spell, and my own wand, under my own terms. And...I bought the potion from a supply shop so..."

"What aren't you telling us Harry?" Ron asked in concern.

"Everything," Harry said.

"But I **have** to know that I can trust you..."

* * *

He had made his friends make unbreakable vows and had warded the room with the strongest magic the three of them knew before he uttered the first word. He had bound them to their silence, and to their absolute trust in him, his mind now jaded by the things he knew.

"I went to see Tom," Harry said, looking out the window of Number 12.

"Tom?" Ron asked.

"The Barkeep?"

"Riddle, The Dark Lord," Harry said, not turning to face his friends, who inhaled sharply.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked.

"He isn't what we think," Harry said.

"He isn't good but...he isn't bad either. I think...he's just..."

Harry didn't know how to explain it.

"I think I am Dumbledores second try at what Tom was supposed to be. We're both orphans. Both powerful. Both desperate for attention and love. But we're both failed attempts already. Dumbledore failed Tom before he could even try with him and...Dumbledore failed me when he lied."

"What are you trying to say?" Hermione asked.

"I think we just need to..."

"Facts Hermione," Harry redirected as he turned around.

"We need to gather all of the facts and analyze everything and...go from there. That's what we need to do. Which is why I told you two. Because we are good at this stuff when we work together and..."

Harry's head hurt. It was a constant headache fueled by the pain in his chest left by a gaping wound of betrayal that would not heal.

"Where do we start?" Ron asked, logic kicking in.

"We need a pensieve," Harry said, taking out a small box filled with silver filled vials.

"This might take a while."


End file.
